


Come home for Christmas

by Pegship



Category: Castle
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Family, Fluff, Holidays, Season 8 related
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2018-05-05 12:21:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5374991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pegship/pseuds/Pegship
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castle isn't feeling very festive, even with the decorations and food and Alexis' spiked cider. It won't feel like Christmas without his wife, off on her mysterious crusade. An imaginary insert for Christmas 2015.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Come home for Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after 8x08, "Mr. and Mrs. Castle". Dedicated to my Castle Secret Santa 2015 recipient, caskettandcoffeedaily!

Richard Castle stood before the tall window, but he wasn’t looking out. Rather, he was looking inward, at his stubborn heart and its inability to feel the spirit of the season. His loft was decorated, though less opulently than in years past, he’d covered the floor at the base of the tree with mysterious wrapped boxes, large and small, and he’d checked with his accountant two days ago to be sure his charitable contributions were more than appropriate to make someone’s holiday merry.

Still.

“Keep frowning like that and Santa’s gonna leave coal in your stocking,” said his daughter. He could see her bright face reflected in the window as she stood behind him, her chin on his shoulder.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” he grumbled, but she was right. He was blessed with two irrepressible redheads and he was unendingly grateful for them; he should make an effort to lighten up.

He was also blessed with a wife, whereabouts unknown.

Rick turned a smile on Alexis and asked, “So, have you been a good girl this year?”

“As far as I know, no coal on my schedule,” she said airily, leading him over to the kitchen bar. She ladled some hot cider into a mug and slid it over to him. “Here, have some holiday cheer.”

He took a sip and his eyes widened. “Alexis – what did you put in this?”

“Rum,” she said with a smirk. “Emeril LaGasse’s recipe.”

“Since when do you watch – “

“Here I am, darlings!” Martha sailed through the front door, a vision in forest green. “Let’s get this party started. Richard – “ 

“Let me take your coat, Mother.”

“Where is – “

“Kate couldn’t make it,” he said evenly. “She sends her regrets and all.”

“Oh, Richard. I’m sorry to hear that, kiddo. Is she covering the precinct again?”

“I don’t know,” said Rick. “Probably just as well.”

“Well, why don’t you go down there and – “

“Mother.” Rick stopped her. “If she isn’t here, it’s for a good reason. You know why.”

Martha and Alexis knew about Kate’s clandestine investigation, the bare bones of it, anyway. Rick knew his mother thought Kate should drop it, and his daughter backed whatever Kate felt was necessary, which was his attitude as well. So they didn’t discuss it at the loft, as if by unspoken agreement; the topic came up generally in his P.I. office.

Martha was sampling the cider and showing her approval thereof. Alexis was eyeing the stockings that they actually still hung by the chimney with care (Rick was nothing if not sentimental at the holidays). Rick went to the kitchen to check on dinner – 

\- and a knock came on the door.

“Are you expecting anyone, Dad?”

“No,” said Rick cautiously. “Mother?”

“Not I. You know Eduardo wouldn’t let anyone – dangerous – through the front doors, though.”

There was another knock, and a familiar voice said, “Mr. Castle? Package for you, sir. Thought I’d deliver it myself.”

All three of them looked at each other, surprised.

“I’ve never known Eduardo to do that,” said Rick. Privately he found himself calculating the odds that his doorman might be a hostage, and the package a bomb (occupational hazard), then went to the door.

Eduardo was grinning, actually pushing a hand truck with a large box on it. “It just arrived, special delivery,” he said. “I think it might be perishable – “ He pointed at the oversize tag, which read OPEN IMMEDIATELY. LOVE, SANTA. The box was covered in thick red paper, with a gigantic gold bow sprawled over most of the top.

Rick rolled the box into the loft, unloading it onto the carpet, then returned the dolly to Eduardo with thanks and a larger than usual tip. Closing the door, he went to stand over the box, along with his redheads.

“No indication of who sent it, or from where,” said Alexis. “Hmm. Doesn’t smell like anything but cardboard and snow.”

“At least it isn’t ticking,” said Martha whimsically. “Well, Richard? Are you going to open it, or shall we call the drug-sniffing dogs?”

Rick gave her a look, but she just grinned right back.

“Maybe it’s the world’s largest lump of coal,” Alexis suggested in a stage whisper.

“Or a fruitcake,” said Rick. To his consternation, the box seemed to shake just a tiny bit. “Okay, ladies, stand back. I’m going in.”

He inspected the sides and top of the box, saw how it could be opened, and pulled one end of the bow, which seemed to go on forever. Alexis caught it and rolled it up as he went, and when the box was bare, Rick fitted his fingertips gingerly under two of the corners and worked them loose.

“Here we go,” he grunted, and yanked hard. The top came off more easily than he’d expected, and he staggered back and landed on his backside. Dropping the top, he scrambled to his feet to peer into the box – 

“Kate,” he said, astonished. “Kate...”

She was curled as tightly as possible on top of a foam pad, snorting with laughter she’d been suppressing for too long, fake straw tucked around her, another huge golden bow attached to the Santa hat on her tousled head.

She held up her arms to him and said, “Merry Christmas, babe.”

“Kate,” he said again. Alexis and Martha laughed and reached in to help her stand, slowly unfolding to stretch even as she beamed and giggled and adjusted her outfit. It looked like red yoga pants and a Santa jacket and not much else.

The moment she was on her feet, Rick pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

“Kate,” he murmured. “How – I don’t want to know how. You’re here.” He kissed her over and over and repeated, “You’re here.”

“Aided and abetted,” she laughed, turning to look at Martha and Alexis, who looked rather smug. 

He laughed, harder than he’d previously thought possible, and beckoned the two women over for a group hug, after which Martha went for some more cider and Alexis went to take dinner out of the oven. Rick settled himself on the sofa with his beautiful, sneaky wife on his lap and her head on his shoulder, Santa hat and all.

“I didn’t get you anything,” she whispered. “I’ll make it up to you later.”

He leaned down to kiss her, and just before their lips met he murmured, “Best. Christmas. Ever.”


End file.
